World Tourism / The Fastest Animals in the World / Springbok-strange animal

The springbok, is the primary representative of the Southern Africa, a member of the gazelle family. Male and female springboks feature horns, that are beautifully marked  but which can be distinguished only by a dorsal fan.The front parts of their head, inside of the legs and back of the thighs are white. A visible  reddish-brown stripe  stretches along the side of the face from the base of the horn to the most part of the mouth. The dorsal fan includes  long, white, and bristly hairs, erected when the gazelle starts its amazing "pronking". This strange, exciting habit of bouncing into the air makes the animal unique and popular among South African antelopes.

The real reason for pronking is not fully discovered and the sense of it is not understood. It seems  more like a nervous reaction. Watching a herd of springboks pronking together is a really incredible sight. It is attractive to see how  they seem to touch the earth, bounding up and down sometimes at an angle, but everytime with a high speed. When the springboks decide to avoid predators , they start to extent their necks, lay their horns and ears back and it seems like they take off in the wind. 

The beautiful black springboks and albinos are fairly common in South Africa. Many farmers protect these animals on their farms. Some large herds can also be admired in protective reserves, for example the Kalahari National Park and the Etosha National Park. The springboks  can be also admired in Botswana. Nowadays this beautiful animal is still used as a symbol on some coins, emblems and stamps, but  it is not anymore used in the national coat of arms and on banknotes.

 

 

Springbok represents a small antelope that has a body of about 1.2 and 1.4 meters long, a shoulder height between 74 and 89 cms, a tail between 15 and 30 cms long and they weigh near 30 and 48 kg. The springboks have a reddish brown in color with a pale underside. On each of their flanks they include a dark brown stripe that beautifully separates the brown upperparts from the underside. The head of the springbok is white featuring a dark brown stripe that runs from each eye down to their upper lip. They also include a pocket-like skin flap that comes from the middle of their back to their tail. When the sprinboks are excited or deeply frightened they can lift this flap which makes the white hairs underneath to stand up in a strange crest that serves as a warning  message for other springbok.

 

 

When necessary  the springbok can reach speeds up to 80 km/hr especially when they feel that are in danger. During the breeding season the females, with their offspring including also a  dominant male are found in herds together while the bachelor herds  created by non-breeding males,  are staying separately. Springbok used to migrate in large herds comprising over 1 million animals, primarly known as a "trek". Nowadays the majority of springboks  create protected reserves gathered on privately owned lands. In some natural remote areas of Angola and Botswana can steel be admired groups of 1,500 individuals. These great runners  feed on grasses and other vegetation. Their diet can be changed depending on the season. They can eat grass when water is available but they can also eat other plants and flowers rich in water. 

 

Springbok females often   mothers during the dry season and after the gestation period of 5 - 6 months give birth to their first young springbok. For some days the youngster is  hidden carefully in a bush or long grass before they join a nursery herd close to their mothers.When they have already 6 months of life they are weaned and the females will stay with the herd where as young males will join a bachelor herd. The springbok females reach sexually maturity at  a year  and they are able to reproduce every second year. The  males reach sexual maturity at 2 years of age. The main predators of these animals are cheetahs, leopards and lions. It is truly interesting to stay and watch the migration of the springbok, which form huge groups and move fast to reach some new lands, reach in grass and water.  The scene when the springboks fight for their freedom and try to avoid the predators offer a very enchanting spectacle, full of enthusiasm and forward. They are really spectacular animals and run very fast, trying to stay away from large cats, and dangerous enemies. 

 

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